Although Adam Scott's most recent contribution to pop culture is his excellent turn as grieving widower Mark Scout and his cheery workplace counterpart Mark S. in sci-fi thriller Severance, he's best known for his comedy work.
His resume includes playing former child mayor Ben in sitcom Parks and Recreations and movies like Step Brothers or Hot Tub Time Machine 2, but now he turns his sights to horror in creepy new flick Hokum. He plays an author who travels to Ireland to spread his parents' ashes, but realizes the place he's staying in might be haunted. This isn't Scott's first foray into the supernatural, either, and it got us wondering – what is it that makes comic actors and filmmakers cross the line into horror? Scott isn't the only one, and plenty of A-listers who cut their teeth on laughs have turned to screams as their careers progressed.
Both genres are built on tension, pay-off, and audience reactions, so they're not as dissimilar as they might appear on the surface. So, in light of Hokum's release, we've picked out five other horror flicks with comedy stars involved, whether that's in front of or behind the camera.
Obsession
Hokum isn't the only new horror release with a comedy star at the helm. Director Curry Barker made a name for himself doing sketch comedy on YouTube, but his sophomore feature follows a man who bites off more than he can chew when he wishes for his childhood crush to fall in love with him.
That's not the only comedy link, either – Andy Richter, best known for his work with Conan O'Brien, also has a supporting role in the film. You'll have to wait a little longer to find out how things go down in this one, though, as Obsession doesn't hit theaters until May 15.
Together
Dave Franco and Alison Brie are best known for their work in comedies like 21 Jump Street and Community, but their comic chops translate perfectly to outlandish body horror Together. The IRL married couple play Tim and Millie, two 30-somethings in a stagnant relationship who find themselves drawn closer together (literally) by mysterious forces lurking outside their new rural home.
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"My first foray into being more physical did start with physical comedy, and then I realized how much I love involving my body in my work and I've basically just amped it up ever since," Brie told GamesRadar+. "In comedy and horror, there's no place for vanity."
The Blackcoat's Daughter
Sure, you've seen Longlegs, but have you seen Osgood Perkins' directorial debut? Despite being descended from Psycho star Anthony Perkins, 2015's The Blackcoat's Daughter was his first foray into the genre after starting his career in comedy with roles in Legally Blonde and Not Another Teen Movie.
Starring scream queens Emma Roberts and Kiernan Shipka, The Blackcoat's Daughter follows a troubled woman as she travels to an isolated school where two students are stranded and facing a sinister and mysterious force.
Barbarian
This is a similar deal to The Blackcoat's Daughter – you've almost definitely seen Weapons already, but did you catch Zach Cregger's directorial debut when it hit theaters back in 2022? Like Perkins, this was Cregger's first foray into horror after co-writing and co-directing the 2009 sex comedy Miss March with Trevor Moore, a fellow member of the comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U' Know.
In Barbarian, Tess checks into an Airbnb the night before a job interview in a new city only to find that the property has been double booked. Her fellow guest turns out to be the least of her troubles, however, when she uncovers some horrifying secrets in the basement of the house.
I Saw the TV Glow
This one is another supporting turn. Jane Schoenbrun's heart-rending psychological horror I Saw the TV Glow also has a sense of humor, which comes in the form of a final act Conner O'Malley jumpscare. The film follows Justice Smith's Owen, an isolated and scared kid as he journeys through life and tries to come to terms with his queerness and gender through his favorite TV show, The Pink Opaque, and his best friend Maddy. When Maddy disappears and just as suddenly reappears, several years later, Owen is left to question everything he knows to be true.
As the movie progresses into Owen's adulthood, he finds work at a family arcade, where his boss Dave is played by O'Malley. He's known for his satirical, surreal comedy, in which he often plays aggressive, outlandish characters. It's a shock to the senses in I Saw the TV Glow's final act, but one that works incredibly well.
Hokum is out now in theaters. For more on what to watch, check out the rest of our Big Screen Spotlight series.
