From Indie Darlings to Studio-Scale Horror: Inside Damian McCarthy's Decade-Long Journey to Hokum
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Irish horror director Damian McCarthy discusses the decade-long development of his new film, Hokum, starring Adam Scott, and shares his approach to crafting effective scares.
Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy has quietly built a reputation as one of the most exciting new voices in modern horror, and he is now taking his biggest creative swing yet. Following the breakout success of his microbudget chillers Caveat and the Shudder hit Oddity, McCarthy is returning with Hokum, a project that has been roughly a decade in the making. In a recent interview with Polygon, McCarthy discussed how the original concept started simply as a bare-bones idea about a character trapped in a haunted hotel room, gradually evolving over years of script development into a full-scale feature.
For an audience that treats horror as a major social event on Discord, Twitch watch parties, and community movie nights, McCarthy's approach to the genre offers a refreshing masterclass in tension. Hokum trades the tighter spaces of his previous work for a grand, creaky Irish hotel, retaining an all-Irish supporting cast while bringing in Hollywood star Adam Scott to play the lead. Scott, widely known for his tense, internal work in Severance, reportedly reached out after catching Oddity, making the cross-industry collaboration a natural fit for a story centered on an unlikable writer battling an ancient, terrifying witch.
While blockbuster gaming spectacles and massive live service updates often dominate the entertainment landscape, auteur-driven horror continues to thrive as an essential part of the modern gamer and streamer diet. McCarthy's meticulous breakdown of what makes a successful jump scare relying on careful planning, cinematic restraint, and raw instinct resonates strongly with anyone who loves interactive or passive horror alike. As Hokum prepares to haunt audiences, it stands as a reminder of how patience, clear vision, and a deep respect for genre mechanics can turn a decade-old indie draft into a major cinematic event.
Tags: Horror Movies, Filmmaking, Entertainment, Polygon, Interviews
Original article: Polygon