The horror comedy is one of the most deliriously entertaining cinematic subgenres when pulled off in the right way, with plenty of titles living long in the memory as undisputed classics and fan favorites. When it goes wrong, though, the end result can be something that’s neither scary nor funny. Depending on who you ask, this year’s Studio 666 could feasibly exist in either camp.
A blood-soaked musical mashup starring the Foo Fighters as themselves was always going to split opinion, with the phrase “vanity project” being bandied around early, and often. The story finds the band recording their landmark 10th album on a cavernous mansion boasting a horrific past – leaving Dave Grohl and his cohorts to battle against supernatural forces that place both their lives and latest record in grave danger.
Planting its tongue firmly in cheek and filling out the cast with an eclectic mix of musical legends playing themselves and recognizable actors bringing fictional characters to life, the tonally-jumbled Studio 666 scored an ever-so-slightly above average Rotten Tomatoes rating of 56 percent, with many critics blasting the poor acting and overall sense of self-indulgence.
On the other hand, fans of the band and all things spooky couldn’t get enough – with the film being launched towards an 80 percent user average on the aggregation site. It split opinion right down the middle, then, but it’s become clear with side of the line HBO Max subscribers have ended up on.
As per FlixPatrol, Studio 666 can be found as the second most-watched feature on the platform’s worldwide watch-list, and has even snagged the number one spot in a mighty 20 countries. Halloween is getting closer, so it could realistically be hanging around the charts for quite a while to come.