Skip to main content

‘Too Many Cooks’ creator shooting horror feature ‘Arnie’ in Cleveland this summer

AI imagines the characters from 'Arnie' >>  

The next juicy horror feature is about to creep onto the streets of Cleveland, and it comes from Chris “Casper” Kelly, creator of the cult classic Too Many Cooks.

The feature, Arnie, is tentatively shooting from July through August in the Cleveland area, according to a casting call from Angela Boehm Casting. (It's a live-action film. We don't want our AI interpretation confuse you!)

Arnie was one of 14 projects awarded more than $26 million of $33 million in tax credits from the Ohio Department of Development’s Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit Program (OMPTC) aimed at boosting production and infrastructure across the state. Northeast Ohio’s Low Spark Films will produce.

Filmmaker Casper Kelly

Who is Casper Kelly?

Kelly is an American writer, director, and producer known for his work in television and film. His work often blends humor, horror and absurdity.

He gained attention with the viral short Too Many Cooks and has directed short films like Adult Swim Yule Log and Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branchin' Out. Kelly also created the Emmy-nominated Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell.

Kelly has written for several Adult Swim series, as well, including Squidbillies, Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force. In 2023, Kelly’s Star Trek: Very Short Treks debuted on Paramount+. The series celebrated the 50th anniversary of Star Trek: The Animated Series.

And he’s conquered the publishing world, too, writing a collection of short stories titled More Stories About Spaceships and Cancer, which debuted in 2012.

An imagined scene from 'Arnie' based on character descriptions

Who are They Casting?

The project is a bit hush-hush, but here’s what we know so far. A list of character descriptions was included in Angela Boehm Casting’s official call for child actors, which could provide some clues. Here are the characters that stood out:
  • Freddy: A sensitive girl with a huge heart and a big fear of standing out. The kind who would run toward the scary noise in the woods because she had to make sure nobody was hurt.
  • Hannah: A theater kid who sings, dances, and brings dramatic flair to everything she touches.
  • Josh: Quiet, bookish, sci-fi nerd — the reluctant adventurer you root for when things get weird.
  • Wade: The cool, confident kid who’s a little too brave for his own good.
  • Oliver: A wide-eyed believer who seems just a little too devoted to... someone.
  • Derek: The sporty older brother.
  • Timothy: The superhero-obsessed youngest sibling.
The film is described as ultimately about conquering fears, though it will include all the bloody thrills and chills one would expect from a horror movie. Maybe a cross between IT and The Goonies?

We’ll keep an eye out for more updates as production draws closer and share them when we can!

Connect with Midwest Movie Maker on Facebook , Instagram and LinkedIn
… and don’t forget to subscribe to the Midwest Movie Maker newsletter

Comments

Popular Posts

Mike Judge's 'Automated Trucking' one of several films awarded tax credits for 2025

Mike Judge and Alec Berg, creators of 'Automated Trucking' >>> Automated Trucking , a new comedy feature from Mike Judge, creator of Office Space , Beavis and Butthead , and King of the Hill , will shoot in Ohio this year - but where in Ohio is the real question. Automated Trucking was one of 14 projects awarded more than $26 million of $33 million in tax credits from the Ohio Department of Development’s Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit Program (OMPTC) aimed at boosting production and infrastructure across the state.  The newly launched Ohio Film & Theater Capital Improvements Tax Credit Program (OFATCI) will provide more than $7.3 million to support capital improvements for film and theater production. "Our film tax credits bring producers and stars to Ohio, and they create opportunities for the local businesses, skilled trades, and creatives already here," said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development. "The expansion of film in...

Aaron Schoonover and Nic Neary return to Wadsworth to shoot 'Meteor Anne' this summer

Filmmakers and friends, Aaron Schoonover and Nic Neary >>> What happens when an ordinary life collides with something extraordinary? Ohio filmmaker Aaron Schoonover brings that question to life this summer as he begins production on Meteor Anne in Wadsworth, Ohio , alongside producer, friend and fellow Wadsworth High School alum, Nic Neary. Inspired by true events, Meteor Anne tells the story of a woman struck by a meteorite — the first person in recorded history, in fact — whose life goes viral once the news hits the 24-hour cycle. At first, Anne avoids the spotlight. But as her husband encourages her to embrace her newfound fame, she’s swept up in interviews, public appearances, and even meets her celebrity crush at a live TV taping. When her 15 minutes end as quickly as they began, Anne struggles to return to normal life. The project was one of 14 projects recently awarded support from Ohio’s Motion Picture Tax Credit Program . We caught up with Schoonover and Neary to...

What's so 'Freaky' about Cleveland screenwriter Michael Kennedy?

Kathryn Newton and Vince Vaughn When Michael Kennedy was 16 years old, growing up in North Olmsted, Ohio, a group of his high school friends convinced him to get in a car, cruise to Westgate Mall , and buy tickets to see this new Drew Barrymore romantic comedy titled Scream.  You know, the “romantic comedy” in which the masked killer dispatches Barrymore within the film’s first 10 minutes? The “romantic comedy” that completely turned the horror genre on its head, created by Cleveland’s own Wes Craven ? The uber meta motion picture that would change 16-year-old Michael Kennedy’s life forever? Yep, that Scream . “The thing is, I didn’t grow up on a diet of horror movies, and I think my friends knew this,” Kennedy says. They probably imagined they’d get a bit of bonus entertainment watching Kennedy squirm in his seat. “But here’s the thing. Within the first five minutes, I was completely enamored.” Flash forward nearly 25 years. Now it’s Kennedy’s turn to splatter the screen with lov...