Los Angeles and Adelaide – Twin filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou have come a long way from their backyard stunts in Pooraka, South Australia. Their debut feature Talk To Me (2023) transformed the once–YouTube pranksters into internationally acclaimed horror directors. Made for just US$4.5 million, the supernatural thriller grossed nearly US$100 million worldwide, becoming A24’s top‐earning horror film and earning accolades across Australia and beyond. As they prepare to release their follow-up, Bring Her Back, the brothers reflect on their creative evolution, the pull of home, and why they recently passed on big-budget Hollywood offers.
A Shoestring Hit That Reshaped Horror
Talk To Me introduced audiences to a chilling premise: a group of Adelaide teenagers who unwittingly invite malevolent spirits through a cryptic party game. Reviewers praised its “wild punk energy” and inventive gore, and the Hollywood Reporter hailed Danny and Michael as “a welcome splash of new blood on the horror landscape.” The film’s success prompted immediate talk of sequels and sequels—Talk 2 Me is already in development—yet the Philippous chose to follow it with a stand-alone thriller, Bring Her Back, rather than rush into a franchise.
Bring Her Back: Upping the Ante on Psychological Terror
Their new film Bring Her Back, out this week in Australia and the U.S., centers on orphaned teen siblings Andy and Piper, who enter the home of former social worker Laura (Sally Hawkins). As Laura grapples with her own grief over her daughter’s death, her latest foster child, mute ten-year-old Oliver, behaves with growing menace. “We wanted to lean into something more disturbing than our debut,” Danny explains. “It’s less about jump scares and more about that creeping, unknowable dread.”
Michael adds, “We still love gore—but intelligent gore. In Bring Her Back, the horror is fueled by character psychology as much as by physical shocks.” The brothers co-wrote the screenplay with long-time collaborator Bill Hinzman, finding in the process that their storytelling instincts have matured alongside their filmmaking skills.
YouTube Roots and a Maturing Vision
Before Talk To Me, the Philippous built a massive online following with their channel RackaRacka, producing DIY fight scenes, macabre pranks, and blood-soaked comedy. “That content was very specific, aimed at a target audience who loved shock and gore,” Danny recalls. “But we outgrew it. I remember thinking, ‘This isn’t really who I am anymore.’ ”
A chance reconnection with Hinzman—who co-wrote both of their features—sparked a new creative partnership. “We’d written a short together years ago,” Michael says. “When we came back to it, it felt right. We were ready to move from YouTube shorts to full-length stories.”
Learning on the Job: From Babadook to Blockbusters
Growing up in a working-class suburb, the brothers had little exposure to professional film. “We didn’t even know Adelaide had a film industry,” Danny admits. Determined to learn, they volunteered on every local set they could—lighting, sound, production logistics—doing “anything for a free pair of hands,” as Michael puts it.
Danny financed their early ambitions by participating in paid clinical drug trials, earning US$120 per day. The real breakthrough came when Michael landed a paid role as a production runner on The Babadook (2014). “Working with Essie Davis and Jennifer Kent was transformative,” he says. “Seeing a director truly care about each shot inspired me to take filmmaking seriously.”
Choosing Adelaide Over Hollywood Glitz
Relocating to Los Angeles in 2019, the brothers quickly attracted offers from major U.S. studios. One particularly high-profile project was a big-budget adaptation of the video game Street Fighter. Initially excited, they soon realized the constraints of a franchise juggernaut. “It felt like a cash grab,” Danny confesses. “We didn’t want our names on something we couldn’t pour our hearts into, so we walked away.”
Despite Hollywood’s lure, the Philippous remain committed to their South Australian roots. They shot Bring Her Back in Adelaide and plan to maintain a production studio there. “It feels right, it feels comfortable,” Danny says. “We’ve had chances to do overseas work, but nothing compares to filming at home.”
Back Yard Wrestling: A Documentary Detour
Between horror projects, Danny and Michael are in post-production on an intimate documentary about deathmatch wrestling—a brutal, underground form of backyard combat where performers use barbed wire and other weapons. “Imagine WWE with real blood,” Michael explains, eyes alight. “We were obsessed with it as kids—cutting barbed wire off construction sites and throwing each other into it.”
Danny interjects with a grin: “People actually die. It’s very risky.” They aim to complete the documentary by year’s end, capturing the visceral spectacle and camaraderie of this fringe subculture.
Building a Horror Franchise Without Losing Identity
Although Talk 2 Me is on the horizon, its script is still evolving—two versions exist with different characters and settings. “We’re at the stage of making big decisions,” Michael says. “Do we maintain the same mythos or explore a new urban legend entirely? We want to respect what made the original special.”
They also hint at yet another horror feature in early development. “I’m not sure if I’m allowed to say this,” Danny laughs, “but we’re working on something new. I keep getting in trouble for spilling too much,” he adds with a wink.
Balancing Comedy, Action and Horror
Despite their growing reputation as horror auteurs, the brothers refuse to be pigeonholed. “We love comedy and action, too,” Danny insists. “It’s not like we’ll only ever do blood and scares.” Their eclectic tastes reflect their YouTube heritage and their appetite for genre-bending narrative.
The Philippou Approach: Collaboration and Authenticity
Central to the brothers’ success is their collaborative spirit. “We trust each other completely,” Michael says. “Danny might suggest a ridiculous stunt, and I’ll think, ‘This is insane—but let’s try it.’ ” They also prize authenticity: filming in real Adelaide homes, casting local actors alongside international talent, and preserving the region’s distinct atmosphere on screen.
Returning Home: A Lasting Connection
For all their Hollywood triumphs, the Philippous still regard Adelaide as home. They make frequent visits to family and friends, and both describe a deep nostalgia for the place where it all began. Danny pauses, remembering their early days: “We were two kids with a camcorder and a dream. Now, to see our films in theaters worldwide—it’s surreal. But Adelaide will always be where we learned to make movies.”
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for the Twins
As Bring Her Back hits cinemas and Talk 2 Me inches toward production, Danny and Michael Philippou stand at a crossroads of creative opportunity. They have rejected offers that compromise their vision, embraced projects that challenge them, and remained steadfast in their loyalty to South Australia.
Whether delving deeper into horror or branching into documentary and comedy-action, the Philippou brothers continue to defy expectations. Their journey from backyard carnage to global acclaim serves as proof that, with passion and perseverance, two scrappy kids from Pooraka can leave an indelible mark on the cinematic landscape—and perhaps, like their films, catch us off guard when we least expect it.
READ MORE: Kevin Costner and Horizon Producers Sued by Stunt Performer Over Unscripted Rape Scene
