Danny and Michael Philippou have revealed that they’ve already filmed a prequel to ‘Talk to Me.’ The entire prequel focused on Duckett. It’s told entirely through mobile phones and social media. They have confirmed that they might release it in the future.
At the beginning of ‘Talk to Me,’ two brothers, Cole (Ari McCarthy) and Duckett (Sunny Johnson), are the focus. Cole searches for Duckett at a wild house party. It’s clear Duckett is possessed, leading to a disturbingly violent scene. Onlookers watch in horror or flee, recording with their phones. This scene sets the tone for the film’s protagonist, Mia (Sophie Wilde), and her friends. The Philippou brothers also filmed a Duckett prequel, aiming for a future release.
In an interview with THR, Danny Philippou said, “We actually shot an entire Duckett prequel already. It’s told entirely through the perspective of mobile phones and social media, so maybe down the line we can release that.“
Danny added, “But also while writing the first film, you can’t help but write scenes for a second film. So there are so many scenes. The mythology was so thick, and if A24 gave us the opportunity, we wouldn’t be able to resist. I feel like we’d jump at it.“
‘Talk to Me’ is a 2022 Australian supernatural horror film, marking Danny and Michael Philippou’s directorial debut and starring Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji, and Miranda Otto. The film was released in Australia on July 27, 2023, followed by an international release. The film has grossed $17.4 million from a budget of $4.5 million. It’s the highest-rated horror movie of 2023, with a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. Watch the trailer below.
Danny and Michael Philippou started making homemade horror films at nine. In 2013, they launched YouTube’s RackaRacka, which has almost 7 million followers now. Videos mixed WWE, Jackass, and horror, showing filmmaking dreams.