Creep instantly captured the hearts of horror fans on its release in 2014. The simple found footage film, directed by Patrick Brice, follows struggling videographer Aaron (played by Brice) after he accepts a job to film a man named Josef (Mark Duplass). He is told that Josef is dying, and the video he is making is for the man's unborn son. But as the days roll on and Josef's behaviour becomes increasingly strange, Aaron soon realises there is something more sinister at work.
A sequel followed in 2017, but a third film is yet to make its way to the big screen. But it isn't the last we've heard of Josef, Peachfuzz, and his many pseudonyms as The Creep Tapes begins on Shudder and AMC+, a series told through the murder tapes created by Josef. As the first two episodes of the show arrive on the streaming platforms, we speak to franchise director Brice about the shift to an episodic format, Josef's backstory, and what we could see in season two.
The Creep Tapes comes to Shudder 10 years after the release of Creep. What prompted you to return to the story in an episodic format rather than a feature film?
We were racking our brains trying to figure out a version of Creep 3 that could exist in the world for a long time. Mark and I had been going back and forth for a while, and we knew there was a demand for it. We knew we wanted to do it, but we just weren't quite sure what the idea was for it. And so finally, I think it was Mark who called me up, and he just said, “What about the tapes?” And I'm like, “What do you mean? What about the tapes?” We established these video tapes and DVDs that were in the closet of the serial killer in the final shot of Creep. The idea of being able to see what's on those tapes and the tapes being a framework for a television show felt really exciting to us, and like something we had never really seen before. We have never really seen a found footage TV show before. But then also, that's kind of a trope in serial killer movies and serial killer stories, right? Having a cabinet of trophies. We thought it was a great concept to explore when it came to telling left-of-centre stories related to this character, and it was a chance for us to dip in without feeling the pressure of rounding out the trilogy of films.
You're working in a simple found footage format with such a small cast. Do you find this a bonus or a hindrance in any way?
One big pro is having total creative freedom, which does not exist when it comes to most projects that you're working on for a living. I think you're always trying to either cater to a studio or financier. In this case, we were sort of beholden to no one but ourselves and our own creative process. So that's that was really exciting and really fun, and I think you can feel that in the episodes when you watch them. I also think something that is very unique to these movies, in particular, is that we can tell the stories how we do. We shot it with the same camera that we shot the movies on – it was like a painter using an old lucky paintbrush or something. We were shooting with a shotgun mic on top of it and everything. It was a very intimate crew, no more than five people you know, on set or involved, and everyone's living in the same house together. We were living in the locations that we're shooting at, so it's very unique. In terms of cons, the flip side of those pros is that all the pressure is kind of on you, and there is no support structure outside of your collaborators. That makes it quite tough when you realise no one's coming to save you. The onus is on you to solve the inevitable creative problems that come up.
The series really leans into the dark humour we first saw in Creep. What do you find important about balancing laughs with scares?
It's funny, because I worry sometimes that we're playing too far into the humour of it, and then the scares become an afterthought at times. It's something that we're conscious of while we're making stuff. That character – at least to me – and Mark are inherently funny. The Creep Tapes looks at the way this guy sees the world, and we were trying to find new, fresh and hopefully funny ways to give you insight into his personality. There are some revelations into his personal life by the sixth episode, finally, that I think people have been asking about for years now. It's such a fun, trippy character to play with. I don't think we realized this until we made Creep 2 because of the way this guy operates in the world, and because of his constant lying – which I think in some circumstances, and on some a certain level, he believes is true – it's almost like we're dealing with someone who's living in a different dimension. And the way in which he plays with his victims is interesting – It's kind of like a cat playing with a mouse before he kills it. One thing that someone noted that I think is a real thing, and just came out of instinct for us, is that once his victim is dead, he doesn't really have anything else to do with them at all. It's almost like he's lost interest at that point. What's enjoyable for him is the game and the dance between him and his victim.
We learn a lot more about Josef and Peachfuzz in The Creep Tapes. Was their backstory in place when you created the films or has this developed and changed over time?
It's something that we've been building on with each iteration of the franchise. We've just kind of looked at what we're doing, and said, “What little breadcrumbs can we reveal that are helpful for the telling of this story without giving it all away?” I don't know if there is all that much to give away at any point. Part of the fun is getting these little sort of hints, but there are still unexplained things. He wears a wedding ring. We still don't know the answer to that, like, the reason why he's got a wedding ring on in every single episode, he's got a wedding ring in the first and second films as well, you know. There are little breadcrumbs we've laid for ourselves without even knowing that we're going to hopefully be able to expand on for a possible season two, or maybe even potential Creep 3 in the future.
Mark spoke to Fangoria about the male nudity in both the films and the series. I was wondering what your take was on its inclusion in Creep and in the wider world of horror?
Mark and I both think male nudity, especially when it pertains to this character, is just inherently funny because it's a way to show vulnerability. It's literally bearing it all. It was also something that we'd never really seen before in this genre or used in the same way that we use it. In Creep, we used it to make the other character that was in the room feel uncomfortable. We also did that in Creep 2, but we were also trying to play a lot with gender norms and power as it relates to gender with Desiree Akhavan's character, Sara, and Mark's character. Part of the joy of that movie is seeing this guy who had been the aggressor become vulnerable, and sort of tripped down merely by the fact that he's around a strong female presence. It's something we definitely want to expand on with the second season as well. We have a bunch of ideas related to potential female characters that we compare Mark's character with.
Speaking of strong female characters – is there a chance we could see the return of Sara, whom we met in Creep 2?
Never say never. We left that ending open, and we love her. We love what she does to Mark's character when she's around him. So, you know, I think that could be really awesome. I don't know if it makes sense for the series or for Creep 3, but it is something that we've been talking about.
One thing people have commented on with Creep and Josef is how you see him commit these horrible crimes, but you can't help but like him. What goes into creating a rounded character like that?
We capitalised on Mark's natural charm and charisma, but we're using it for the sake of evil. Because of his previous roles and the fact he's such a loving, genuine, and inviting guy, it lures people in. Then we say “Hey, we're gonna make this character all those things, but also a psychopath at the same time” and utilise these traits that I think normally would make people feel comfortable. That's how a lot of psychopaths behave – they're charming and not the people you'd be scared of normally. Those types of people can be some of the scariest. So we were playing all of his natural strengths as an actor and as a connective performer.
The Creep Tapes episodes one and two are available to stream now on Shudder and AMC+. New episodes will be released weekly on Fridays on both platforms.
