Kung Fu Deadly (2026)

Chinese hopping vampires have invaded Dublin. Kung Fu Deadly (2026), a martial arts horror comedy that had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest and plays Sitges next, sends two inept exterminators, Danny (Steven He) and Frank (Michael Tient), after a swarm of jiangshi, with Lian (Gemma Chua-Tran) as their reluctant ally. Writer-producer Paddy McDonald, who produced Predestination (2014), needed 12 and a half years and roughly 30 drafts to get it made; BAFTA-winning director Fergal Costello finally cracked it.

Mike talks with both about the Mr. Vampire (1985) and Encounters of the Spooky Kind (1980) obsessions behind the monsters, a Zoom chemistry read that made two leads click instantly, iPhone previs for the fight scenes, John Carpenter widescreen framing from Big Trouble in Little China (1986), and Costello's next film, a vampire movie shooting in November.