The previous several years have seen a slew of genre reimaginings. The epidemic period has resulted in a new form of tale, the “screen life” film, which has haunted the found footage sub-genre. Howdy, Neighbor!, a new LGBTQ+ themed film from director Allisyn Snyder and writer Matthew Scott Montgomery, has been reported exclusively by Variety. Snyder and Montgomery are both alums of the popular sketch comedy series So Random!, but that’s just the beginning of their talents. There will be a huge Disney reunion in this picture. As well as Debby Ryan (Suite Life on Deck, Jessie) and Alyson Stoner (Camp Rock, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody), the film will also star Kevin Chamberlin, Shayne Topp, Tim Bagley, and Damien Haas.
Montgomery will play the major character in the film. Sterling Sulieman, Adam Faison, Greer Grammer, Grant Jordan, and Kimmy Shields are also in the cast. ‘The Walking Dead’ Snyder, Montgomery, and Charles M. Barsamian of Exit Strategy will produce the horror thriller. Watch the Footage, the production business Snyder and her husband Dylan Snyder (of Kickin’ It!) created, will work with Exit Strategy on the project.
As for the story of Howdy, Neighbor!, it goes like this:
Benjamin, a young LGBT millennial actor in West Hollywood who was formerly a well-known child actor, is played by Montgomery in the film. Benjamin and Harley investigate a new neighbour, Chase (Jordan), who exposes himself to be a fan after moving across the hall (Ryan). The title “screen life” refers to the fact that the whole film will be shot entirely on computer monitors. For decades, the sub-genre of found footage has been present, but this specific type of the sub-genre served to provide a new viewpoint to an old story device. As a genre, current horror films like Unfriended and Host are underappreciated and Howdy, Neighbor! sounds like a promising new addition.
From the description, it’s clear that this group is largely comprised of former child stars.
As a kid celebrity on a network like Disney or Nickelodeon, it looks like the film will be a horror story that touches on some of the downsides of that position. All of the actors here have lived through this culture, so it will be interesting to see what the actors can bring to bear in order to enhance the tale they’re telling. Some of the stories regarding old Disney Channel episodes that have lately come to light can be considered horrors in their own right. This film’s premise would be much more fascinating if every one of the individuals involved could bring their own personal horror story to the table.
If successful, it might pose a serious threat to the way firms like Disney treat their kid stars, as well as addressing the post-traumatic stress disorder that many of these actors experience. Finding out how the found footage and LGBTQ+ themes are woven into the main story will be intriguing as well. As a kid, I loved seeing these actors and actresses move away from their early roles. The Netflix films Horse Girl and Night Teeth, in particular, show Ryan’s ability to do so. As filming on Howdy, Neighbor! is expected to begin at the end of the month, we may expect to learn more about this interesting horror movie very soon.