Exclusive: ‘Remain Calm’ Is a Hot Horror Package About a Monster That Senses Fear [Watch the Short]

A monster that senses fear. It’s an incredibly simple premise, and Remain Calm has a lot of fun with the absolutely horrible task of trying not to panic when your life depends on it.

Dread Central has exclusively learned that the horror comedy short is being shopped as a feature, with an extremely high level of heat on the project.

Written and directed by Jake Lewis, from a story by Lewis and Sam Lewis, it’s a concept that I think connects especially well with Gen Z. Anxiety is already exhausting. Now imagine having to hide it from something that wants to kill you.

Pauly Shore (Encino Man) and Nick Swardson (Grandma’s Boy) play two gas station clerks whose night shift takes a turn when they’re warned about Mr. Frett, a creature that hunts people showing signs of stress, anxiety, or panic. Their survival depends on keeping it together, which is easier said than done.

The short is really fun and funny, especially with Shore and Swardson in the mix. But Doug Jones (Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, Hellboy, Hocus Pocus) is phenomenal, bringing his own level of creepy before the horror gets turned up to 11. Jones plays the Grin Man, while Kevin Keppy (Smile) portrays Mr. Frett.

It’s that combination of comedy and escalating terror that makes this such an exciting prospect for a feature. The thing threatening you is also triggering the very response that puts you in danger. How the fuck do you stay calm?

The short was produced by Don Ohmer and Max Ostroff, with special effects by GORGAZMA. .

I’m really excited to see who ends up with this project and how it’s eventually adapted into a film. For now, it’s being shopped, and we’ll keep you posted as it develops.