Casper Kelly, the creator of the viral Adult Swim hit "Too Many Cooks," is set to debut his feature film directorial effort, "Buddy," on August 28. The film presents a dark parody of children's programming, centering on a character named Buddy, an orange unicorn mascot reminiscent of Barney the Dinosaur.
The premise of "Buddy" involves a group of children trapped within a 1990s kids' show. While Buddy initially appears as a harmless character, the narrative takes a sinister turn, revealing him as a nightmarish figure. Early trailers suggest a present-day storyline where a character, played by Cristin Milioti, investigates the long-lost 1990s series "It's Buddy." These teasers also feature a bloodied Buddy wielding an ax and frightened children, all presented with a vintage VHS aesthetic.
The film's cast includes Cristin Milioti and Topher Grace as a couple, with Michael Shannon, Patton Oswalt, and Clint Howard portraying other characters. Keegan-Michael Key is set to play Buddy himself.
Kelly, also known for his work on Adult Swim shows such as "Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell" and "Stroker & Hoop," as well as writing for "Squidbillies" and "Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law," previously directed a segment in the 2025 horror anthology film "V/H/S/Halloween." He co-wrote "Buddy" with Jamie King, who also worked on "Jessica Jones."