Roadside Attractions and Saban Films have acquired North American rights to BUDDY, the fantastically twisted, genre‑bending horror film from director and co‑writer Casper Kelly. Produced by BoulderLight Pictures and Low Spark Films, in association with Sipur Studios and Substance, the film made its world premiere in the Midnight section at the Sundance Film Festival before screening in the Festival Favorites lineup at SXSW, where it quickly became one of the year’s most talked‑about discoveries. BUDDY will open exclusively in theaters on September 4, 2026.
Synopsis
Set inside a children’s television show gone horribly wrong, BUDDY stars Cristin Milioti, Delaney Quinn, Topher Grace, Keegan‑Michael Key, Michael Shannon, and Patton Oswalt. The film embraces the bright, familiar aesthetic of classic kids’ programming—complete with catchy songs and comforting tropes—before violently subverting it with a descent into surreal, escalating madness.
The result is a one‑of‑a‑kind genre experience that is equal parts unnerving, inventive, and wickedly sharp.
Cast
- Cristin Milioti (The Penguin, Palm Springs)
- Delaney Quinn (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You)
- Topher Grace (That ’70s Show, BlacKkKlansman)
- Keegan‑Michael Key (Key & Peele, The Super Mario Bros. Movie)
- Michael Shannon (The Shape of Water, Man of Steel)
- Patton Oswalt (Ratatouille, The King of Queens)
Filmmakers
- Directed by: Casper Kelly
- Written by: Casper Kelly
- Produced by: BoulderLight Pictures, Low Spark Films
- In Association With: Sipur Studios, Substance
- Executive Producers: Greg Iguchi, Pete Chiappetta, Anthony Tittanegro, Andrew Lary