The parlaying of Creep (2014) and Creep 2 (2017) into a streaming series is a case study in how friendship can feed into creativity.
Producer/writer/actor/everythingelser Mark Duplass met co-creator Patrick Brice when Brice’s wife was nanny for Duplass’ kids. Their friendship and an experience Duplass had on Craig’s made for organic beginnings. The Creep Tapes, Season Two, is debuting on Shudder this week.
I got a chance to talk to the pair at Fantastic Fest 2025. I was long familiar with Duplass' stuff. His partnership with his brother Jay Duplass had resulted in a number of indies that all made outsize impressions. Their debut, The Puffy Chair (2005) was praised for its emotional bravery.
The pair next turned to horror/comedy in Baghead (2008), a mumblecore sendup of slasher conventions. Their ubsequent films Cyrus (2010), and Jeff, Who Lives Alone (2011) saw them continuing to mine their indie dramedy roots to great effect. Mark Duplass then returned to horror, penning the script for his wife Katie Aselton’s directorial debut, the much-lauded horror thriller Black Rock (2012).
But Creep did something none of those other films even tried to do. It made a modern horror icon out of Duplass’ unnamed serial killer character and his alter ego, Peachfuzz.
There’s no doubting the comedic chops on display in the franchise. The Creep films and especially the streaming show offer plenty of wry, tongue in cheek moments and energy. But the titular creep himself never ceases to be threatening. It’s far too easy to imagine running in some innocuous circumstance only to wind up at his mercy. It’s also noteworthy how long Brice and Duplass have been able to effectively milk the setup as one stranger after another falls prey to their sociopath.
It's also worth noting how down to earth both men seem and how surprised they are by the success. Nothing about that surprise seems performative. They come across as two genuine artists who would do this for free but who have been fortunate enough to build out careers in an industry of rapidly dwindling opportunity for those who attempt to make a living in it.
They also come across as people who understand the value of community. Long after the creep and Peachfuzz have buried their last victim, Duplass and Brice will be enjoying the fruits of the many friendships and careers they have fostered along the way. They are anything but real-life Creeps.