Witness Michael Philippou’s Possession Act and Breathtaking ‘Talk to Me’ Stunt at SDCC

In the debut feature film ‘Talk to Me,’ directed by him and his brother, Michael Philippou may not have been in front of the camera with Sophie Wilde and the rest of the cast to invoke spirits, but he certainly brought the thrill to life at San Diego Comic-Con. Celebrating the upcoming A24 horror movie, he delivered a heart-stopping stunt performance, based on the film’s eerie embalmed hand scene, that left the audience awestruck. Philippou seemingly allowed the object to take control of him, leading to a terrifying, bloody climax featuring the YouTube celebrity.

As the lights flicker on, the performance begins with Philippou clutching the hand, ready to interact with the otherworldly entities. Similar to the fate met by his film’s characters as depicted in the trailer, he is abruptly assailed by paranormal forces. As he cries out in terror, the audience witnesses a shock when he is violently thrown against the wall and hoisted towards the ceiling, twitching under the grip of the spirits. Midway across the room, he stabs himself with a knife, splattering blood around, much to everyone’s alarm and fascination. A final loud crash as he collapses back to the floor brings the stunt to a close, garnering applause from his spectators.

The Philippou brothers, Michael and Danny, are well-known for their dynamic live-action YouTube videos, amassing a huge fanbase of over 6.74 million subscribers on their channel, RackaRacka, known for its tumultuous content. With ‘Talk to Me,’ they have been given the opportunity to expand their creative scope, launching the film at Sundance with high praise earlier this year and now earning a coveted spot at the premier pop culture convention. Their relentless enthusiasm and commitment are undeniably evident, resulting in a night to remember for fans at SDCC.

Image via A24

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The Philippou Brothers Aren’t Wrapping Up at ‘Talk to Me’

‘Talk to Me’ tells the story of a group of friends who, after discovering how to summon spirits with a sinister embalmed hand, develop an addiction to the exhilaration of interacting with supernatural entities. However, when one of them unleashes these forces and fails to seal the portal, their lives spiral into a nightmarish chaos. The cast is led by Wilde and includes Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji, Miranda Otto, Zoe Terakes, Chris Alosio, Marcus Johnson, and Alexandria Steffensen.

Looking ahead, the Philippou brothers have a promising future in the film industry. In a conversation with FilmSweep’s Perri Nemiroff at Sundance, they expressed the possibility of developing a sequel to ‘Talk to Me’ if given an opportunity – potentially even expanding the horror movie into a trilogy – largely due to a comprehensive lore bible they’ve crafted around the embalmed hand and the film’s universe. Besides horror, they’ve been approached by Legendary Entertainment to helm a big-screen adaptation of Street Fighter, following the acquisition of both the film and television rights to the Capcom fighting game franchise by the company.

‘Talk to Me’ will hit the cinemas on July 28. Don’t miss Michael Philippou’s breathtaking stunt performance at SDCC, showcased below.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Michael Philippou’s ‘Talk to Me’ Stunt

More about Michael Philippou’s ‘Talk to Me’ Stunt

• [San Diego Comic-Con]
• [Michael Philippou on YouTube]
• [RackaRacka YouTube Channel]
• [A24 Films]
• [Talk to Me Movie Trailer]
• [Legendary Entertainment’s Street Fighter]
• [Sundance Film Festival]