Focus Features is staying in the Curry Barker business. The company, which will release the Barker-written and directed movie Obsession on May 15, has picked up Anything But Ghosts, a separate feature that Barker directed and co-wrote with creative partner Cooper Tomlinson. The duo also co-star in Ghosts, which just wrapped production.
Little is known about the project, but Aaron Paul has been revealed as among the cast, led by Tomlinson.
Barker and Tomlinson rose to Internet fame as the duo behind That’s a Bad Idea, the YouTube comedy sketch channel that has drawn favorable comparison’s to Tim Robinson’s Netflix darling, I Think You Should Leave.
Barker also was behind the $800 viral horror film Milk & Serial. He’s had a swift rise, becoming one of the most sought after filmmakers in town ahead of Obsession, which was the biggest sale out of last year’s Toronto Film Festival. Earlier this week, A24 enlisted him to write and direct his own take on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Tomlinson is earning strong notices for his onscreen work in Obsession, and coming up has a recurring role in Taylor Sheridan’s The Dutton Ranch, which arrives May 15, the same day as Obsession.
As for Anything But Ghosts, it is the first time horror power producers Blumhouse-Atomic Monster’s Jason Blumand Spooky Pictures’ Roy Lee will work together. The duo produce, along with Spooky’sSteven Schneider. Adam Hendricks and Greg Gilreath for Divide/Conquer also produce the feature.
Image Nation and That’s a Bad Idea are backingAnything But Ghosts, with executive producers including Barker, Tomlinson and Ben Ross.
Paul is a multi-time Emmy winner, known for his work on Breaking Bad and Westworld. He is repped by UTA. Barker is repped by Underground, UTA and Yorn Levine. Tomlinson is repped by Canopy Media Partners, Paradigm and Yorn Levine.