'Obsession' director Curry Barker's father Jeff Barker to helm horror short 'Medium Rare'
Los Angeles, July 15
Jeff Barker, screenwriter and father of 'Obsession' director Curry Barker, is set to write and direct the psychological horror short film 'Medium Rare', featuring comedian-actor Dane Cook and Oscar-nominated actor Lesley Ann Warren, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The film follows a man trapped inside a bar, where reality gradually begins to unravel in increasingly disturbing ways. Production is expected to begin in Los Angeles later this summer.
Jeff Barker is no stranger to the horror genre. He served as a script consultant on 'Obsession', the breakout horror film written and directed by his 26-year-old son, Curry Barker, on a reported budget of USD 750,000. He also hosts 'The Screenplay Lab' podcast, where he discusses the craft of screenwriting.
Following the success of 'Obsession', Barker is also developing multiple horror projects.
"Medium Rare is a short story I wrote eight years ago. I'm honoured by the team of people helping me bring this project to life," Barker said in a statement, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Short films have long served as a launching pad for horror filmmakers. Curry Barker's short film 'The Chair' previously caught the attention of producer James Harris, who later helped develop 'Obsession' into a feature film.
Dane Cook will headline 'Medium Rare'. The comedian rose to prominence in the mid-2000s with multi-platinum comedy albums, including 'Retaliation', and has appeared in films such as 'Good Luck Chuck', 'Employee of the Month' and 'My Best Friend's Girl', according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Lesley Ann Warren, who also stars in the project, earned Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for her performance in 'Victor/Victoria' (1982). She is also known for 'Clue' (1985), the television film 'Cinderella' (1965), and television series including 'Will & Grace' and 'Desperate Housewives'.
Additional cast members are yet to be announced.
'Medium Rare' is being produced by Jacob Yakob, Mehrodod Heydari of LD Entertainment, Alex Bretow and Kourosh Ahari of Mammoth Pictures, Lee Roy Kunz of World's Fair Pictures and Chuck Shaughnessy, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting but I wonder why they're making it a short instead of jumping straight to feature. Short films don't get much visibility outside festivals here in India. But if Jeff Barker has the right team, it could work. Also, Dane Cook? His comedy is so early 2000s, not sure he fits horror. 🤔
Hollywood ke log toh family connections se hi kaam karwate hain 😂. But honestly, if 'Obsession' was made on just $750,000 and got attention, then Jeff Barker clearly knows what he's doing. Hope this short builds his filmography like 'The Chair' did for Curry. Indian filmmakers should take notes on bootstrapping.
Lesley Ann Warren is a legend! Clue is one of my all-time favorites. Really curious to see her in a psychological horror. The bar setting sounds claustrophobic and intense. I just hope the script is strong enough—horror shorts can easily become gimmicky if not done well.
For me, the most impressive thing is the budget-conscious production. $750K for 'Obsession' and it became a breakout hit? That's the kind of efficiency Indian indie filmmakers should study. The horror genre is perfect for low-budget storytelling. 'Medium Rare' could be another example.
The article says 'reality unravels'—that's a bit vague. I hope it's not just another 'it was all a dream' twist. Psychological horror done right can be brilliant, but India doesn't get
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