Acclaimed FX artist Tom Devlin has finished production on his feature directorial debut “Teddy Told Me To,” which is currently in post-production.
The horror-comedy – directed by Devlin from a screenplay by Vincent Cusimano and Lola Devlin – was filmed at his celebrated Boulder City, Nevada roadside attraction Tom Devlin’s Monster Museum. Tom Devlin and Kayla Bushell produced, with special makeup effects by Devlin and Walid Atshe.
Revolving around the plight of a pair of haunters who set out to resurrect a shuttered Halloween haunt with a bloody past, “Teddy Told Me To” brings to the screen one of Devlin’s fan-favorite character makeup creations: the titular slasher “Teddy” (which he originated in 2011 in SyFy’s popular special effects makeup reality series “Face Off”). Topher Hansson and Kamarra Cole star as the beleaguered haunter duo, along with genre notables Felissa Rose (“Sleepaway Camp”), Trent Hagga (“68 Kill”), Warrington Gillette (“Friday the 13th Part 2”), CJ Graham (“Friday the 13th Part VI”), and Lisa Wilcox (“A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master”). Michael Shields portrays Teddy.
Additional cast includes “Teddy Told Me To” co-writer Cusimano, Lily Devlin, Matt Osborn, and Peter Stickles, professional wrestlers Papa Shango, Sinn Bodhi, and Beast the Butcher, adult film actors Kiki Daire, Daisy Ducati, and Tabitha Stevens, and YouTube personalities JustinScarred, Jacob the Carpetbagger, and The Grim Life Collective. John Massari (“Killer Klowns from Outer Space”) provides the film’s score.
“As a lifelong fan of horror films – slasher flicks, in particular – I felt it was time to tell my own story that’s a throwback to the fun slasher flicks of my youth,” says Tom Devlin. “I wanted to make a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously but plays well on a spooky October night or a fun summer sleepover. We filled it with gory effects, colorful characters, and the mandatory 3 B’s. It’s a love letter to not only the films that have inspired me – and their punk rock ethos, but also to the haunters of the world, and we hope it’s a hell of a good time!”
“Teddy Told Me To” is the first film of an intended trilogy centering around Tom Devlin’s murderous take on the teddy bear. For updates on the film and exclusive “Teddy Told Me To” content, visit Tom Devlin’s Monster Museum, like Tom Devlin’s Monster Museum on Facebook, and follow @TomDevlinsMonsterMuseum on Instagram.
