Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has discussed the making of their upcoming comedy horror flick, Studio 666. Scheduled to hit the big screen next year on February 25, 2022, the film, now acquired by Open Road Films, was created by Open Road’s Tom Ortenberg alongside the help of the band.
Studio 666 sees Grohl and co. grapple with supernatural forces inside an Encino mansion – the place where Foo Fighters recorded their tenth studio album, Medicine At Midnight. Meanwhile, the peculiar happenings linked to the studio's former ghostly residents – a fictitious group named Dream Window – end up threatening both the completion of the album and the lives of the group.
Speaking of the making of the film, Grohl tells MOJO, "There's no other band stupid enough to do this. It's absolutely insane."
He adds, "A couple of scenes, they're so fucking epic, dude. Just when you think we couldn't come up with anything more ridiculous...It really, really will blow your mind".
Directed by BJ McDonnell (who worked on the 2013 slasher Hatchett III and multiple Slayer videos), Studio 666 will in no doubt be a spine-tingler – albeit one that also pulls a few laughs. After all, Foo Fighters are no strangers for comical theatrics, and have frequently dabbled in acting (if that's the word for it) in their chucklesome music videos that have seen them take on a medley of disguises, including Grohl's depiction of a pig-tailed innocent young teen in 1999's Learn To Fly and a moustached 70s goofball in 2007's Long Road To Ruin.
Although the band are keeping the plot of the new film firmly under wraps, Grohl reveals a little about the studio's fictional supernatural inhabitants, Dream Window. "The singer went nuts" he says, "and murdered his whole band over creative differences."
Studio 666 was close to being finished in early 2020, but the pandemic soon derailed its progress. "We had filmed most of the movie" explains the Foos frontman. "All we had to film was basically the few ending scenes. Then months and months went by. We would have meetings to talk about how we could possibly finish this movie with all the new restrictions and compliance.
"'How are we going to fucking pull this off?' So we came up with a plan. And those six days of shooting turning into about three weeks because of all the new regulations that really slow things down.
"We were one of the first productions in Los Angeles back after the Covid thing. We did it safely and we actually pulled it off."
Over lockdown, a trailer was finalised which inspired the band to push forward and complete the film. "We watched that trailer" comments Grohl, "and we were like 'Holy fucking shit. I mean, honestly, talk about far beyond anyone's expectations...It's a movie movie. We all were just like, 'Oh my god, let's finish this'".
Alongside Foo Fighters, Studio 666 will feature real-life actors Leslie Grossman of American Horror Story, Will Forte of Saturday Night Live and Jeff Garlin of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Introducing the movie when it was first announced, Grohl said, “After decades of ridiculous music videos and numerous music documentaries under our collective belts, it was finally time to take it to the next level… A full length feature horror comedy film.
“Like most things Foo, Studio 666 began with a far fetched idea that blossomed into something bigger than we ever imagined possible. Filmed at the same house where we recorded our latest album Medicine At Midnight (told you that place was haunted!), we wanted to recapture the classic magic that all of our favourite rock and roll movies had, but with a twist: hilarious gore that fucking rocks.
"And now, with the help of Tom Ortenberg and the team at Open Road Films we can finally let this cat out of the bag after keeping it our best kept secret for two years. Be ready to laugh, scream, and headbang in your popcorn. Studio 666 will fuck you up."
While Director BJ McDonnell said, "Studio 666 is a perfect combination of all things I love. Rock, horror, and comedy all tied together in a very thrilling motion picture. I am so excited to have teamed up with the Foo Fighters to create an old school 'band' movie.
"It’s been years since we’ve seen something like The Beatles' Help!, The Monkees' Head, or Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park. Take that 60’s / 70’s old school band film fun, mix it with horror and Studio 666 is born! I am so ecstatic for audiences of film and music to come together and enjoy our film."
