Deadhouse Films has announced production will commence in early 2026 on its dark Gen-Z thriller, CRASHOUT.
Written and directed by Nick Annas, CRASHOUT will be produced by Helen Tuck and Enzo Tedeschi, with Umbrella Entertainment handling theatrical distribution across Australia and New Zealand.
Blending psychological horror with sharp, distinctively Australian humour, CRASHOUT explores the modern obsession with curating identity, controlling narratives and manufactured trauma in the social media age.
The film follows a group of new high school graduates whose celebratory road trip spirals into tragedy. When an accident leaves one of their friends dead, the three remaining teens – panicked and terrified of the consequences – decide to stage a found-footage film to rewrite the night and save their futures.
Shot in a raw, frenetic style that mirrors its subject matter, CRASHOUT promises to capture the chaos, humour, and heartbreak of Gen-Z with unflinching authenticity.
19 year old Writer-Director Nick Annas said, “I wrote the first draft of CRASHOUT when I was 17. I wanted to capture the real, messy, chaotic way my generation communicates. What started as an attempt to bottle that humour and vulnerability grew into a story that holds a mirror up to my peers. There is a lot of Gen-Z content out there, but much of it feels like an imitation. It’s incredibly exciting to have Deadhouse Films and Umbrella Entertainment backing a project where someone from inside the generation gets to tell the story with authenticity – and have a lot of fun satirising it”.
Deadhouse Films Producer Helen Tuck said, “With its cultural relevance, cutting-edge appeal, and built-in digital audience, CRASHOUT is uniquely positioned for both commercial and artistic success. Set in a single location with a real-time narrative, we’re delivering maximum impact on a lean budget, with every dollar on screen”.
Deadhouse Films Founder and Producer Enzo Tedeschi added, “We’re excited to be working with Umbrella Entertainment for theatrical distribution across Australia and New Zealand. Their expertise in delivering independent genre films to audiences makes them the perfect partner for CRASHOUT”.
Umbrella Entertainment General Manager Ari Harrison said, “CRASHOUT is exactly the kind of bold, local, original film we love championing at Umbrella. It’s rare to see a Gen-Z story told with this level of authenticity and bite! We’re thrilled to partner with Deadhouse Films and bring this sharp, uniquely Aussie vision to cinemas across Australia and New Zealand.”
Helen Tuck and Enzo Tedeschi recently collaborated on the indigenous horror feature It Will Find You, also produced by Deadhouse Films. Tedeschi’s credits include cult hit The Tunnel, Shudder Original series Deadhouse Dark, the documentary Love Over Money (co-directed; EP Joaquin Phoenix) and the theatrical conspiracy thriller Event Zero. Tuck was named one of Inside Film magazine’s Rising Talents in 2024 and is currently overseeing post-production on her second feature Resonance.
