The Foo Fighters encounter a demonic presence in the creepy mansion where they are recording their tenth album in Studio 666. The Foo Fighters consisting of Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, and Rami Jaffee are under pressure from their manager Jeremy Shill (Jeff Garlin) to deliver their tenth studio album, which Dave Grohl is having trouble writing. As a way to provide the band with inspiration, Shill has his assistant Barb Weems (Leslie Grossman) show the Foo Fighters a dilapidated old mansion in Encino, which was the site of a grisly murder spree in the early 1990s. Loving the acoustics, Dave Grohl agrees to record the album in the house, but he soon attracts a demonic spirit, who possesses Grohl, who makes the band finish an ancient song.
Studio 666 is a horror-comedy directed by BJ McDonnell (Hatchet III) and written by Jeff Buhler (Pet Sematary) and Rebecca Hughes, based on a story by Dave Grohl. The film stars the Foo Fighters as fictionalized versions of themselves, who travel to a creepy old mansion to record their tenth album. Dave Grohl instantly feels a strange attachment to the house and soon starts seeing a creepy Caretaker (Marti Matulis) around the grounds. The rest of the band receive subtle warnings from their overtly friendly neighbour Samantha (Whitney Cummings), who knows the truth about the evil that resides in the house.
Studio 666 was shot in secret in 2020 by the Foo Fighters in the same house where they recording their tenth album “Medicine at Midnight.” In addition, to the band members playing fictionized versions of themselves, the film has a supporting cast that includes Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Leslie Grossman (American Horror Story), Whitney Cummings (The Ridiculous 6), and Jenny Ortega (Scream), with the film featuring cameo appearances by Will Forte, Lionel Ritchie, and even horror master John Carpenter, who also composed the film’s opening theme.
Even though Studio 666 is a Foo Fighters side project almost created on a lark, there has to be some credit given to the amount of effort given to pulling off this horror comedy. Studio 666 has plot elements that are reminiscent of both The Shining and The Evil Dead, with the film having some quite well-done creature and gore effects by Tony Gardner (Zombieland: Double Tap, Freaky). However, plotwise, Studio 666 ends up being a somewhat mediocre film.
One of the main issues with Studio 666 comes from how the members of the Foo Fighters are not really trained actors, with only Dave Grohl having a previous acting credit, playing Satan in Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny. In fact, it’s probably 2006 rock comedy that is probably my closest comparison to Studio 666, though I would argue that this film is remotely better.
Ultimately, Studio 666 is a film for both fans of the Foo Fighters and horror fans, who enjoy films with over-the-top gore. However, it’s probably better to stream the film, rather than pay to see it theatrically.
