CCM alumnus to write and direct movie for Neon, Blumhouse Atomic Monster, Spooky Pictures

Neon, Blumhouse Atomic Monster and Spooky Pictures are teaming up on Lust with Lackey. Paranormal Activity veteran Steven Schneider is producing for Spooky Pictures, and Jason Blum and James Wan are producing for Blumhouse Atomic Monster. The plot is being kept secret, with Neon and Blumhouse Atomic Monster co-financing the project.

Barker’s Obsession and Parsons’ Backrooms were box office hits over the summer, showing that a new generation of filmmakers can attract audiences to theaters.

Lackey has amassed 7 million followers on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube with his short-form horror content. Lackey's short-form video content is scary, so watch at your own risk on his TikTok, Instagram or YouTube channels (content warning: horror).

Last year, Lackey released a short film "You Are Here," produced by Mike Flanagan, which made its rounds through the film festival circuit. Around the same time as the release, Lackey was working with CCM Acting students to make their own shortform horror content at UC's Digital Performance Lab. Directed by CCM Acting Professor D'Arcy Smith, the Digital Performance Lab is a hub for the creation, production, research and training in digital performance. Its mission is to bridge the gap between industry and academia, creating new work and investigating ways to advance how performers and technology interact.

"If you want to make stuff, do it!" Lackey shared his advice for students and creators. "Gone are the days that require many thousands of dollars to make a short film. You can shoot a video, a short film, or even a full length movie on your phone! You can post it on to YouTube and get a ton of attention (if it’s good, that is). The trick is to make things you’re passionate about. For me, that’s horror."