The Penguin’s Cristin Milioti to Star in Horror Movie from Too Many Cooks Creator

Cristin Milioti is riding a massive wave of acclaim following her turn as the unforgettable antagonist Sofia Gigante in HBO’s The Penguin, and she is already lining up her next major role. The actor, who just landed her first-ever Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress for her work in the DC series, is now set to headline a new horror movie titled Buddy. Milioti’s celebrated performance has earned her widespread recognition, including nominations for a Golden Globe Award and a Critics’ Choice Television Award, establishing her as one of the most compelling performers of the season. The series itself was a massive success for HBO, pulling in a record-breaking 24 Emmy nominations, including one for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. According to a report from Deadline, Milioti will now pivot from the crime-ridden streets of Gotham to a mysterious genre project from a creator known for his uniquely unsettling and viral content.

Production has officially begun on Buddy, which is being described only as a “new experience in horror.” The film is directed by Casper Kelly, who co-wrote the script with Jaime King. Kelly is the creative mind behind the 2014 viral phenomenon Too Many Cooks, an 11-minute Adult Swim short that became an internet sensation. It begins as a perfect parody of the opening credits of ’80s and ’90s family sitcoms before it slowly descends into chaos, with a machete-wielding killer stalking the cast of characters. Kelly has consistently played with audience expectations in his other work, including his surprise feature-length horror film Adult Swim Yule Log, which aired unannounced, disguised as a simple holiday fireplace video before revealing its complex plot.

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The production company behind Buddy is BoulderLight Pictures, the same banner responsible for recent horror hits like Barbarian and the upcoming Weapons. The company has quickly established itself as a home for innovative and high-concept horror, with Weapons being one of the most anticipated genre films of 2025. That movie, from Barbarian director Zach Cregger, is described as a horror epic centered on the disappearance of elementary school children. BoulderLight is also developing a new movie based on the Amityville horror legend, partnering with New Line Cinema to resurrect the iconic franchise for the mainstream. The project is reportedly being fast-tracked and will focus on the public domain elements of the real-life paranormal story, separate from previous film iterations.

Will Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Gigante Appear in The Batman Sequel?

The finale of The Penguin left the door wide open for Sofia Gigante’s story to continue, directly connecting her to the larger world of Matt Reeves’ Gotham. In the show’s final moments, after being framed by Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell) and sent back to Arkham State Hospital, Sofia receives a mysterious letter from Selina Kyle, who claims to be her half-sister. This reveal is a direct nod to the comic book storyline in Batman: The Long Halloween and its sequel, Dark Victory, where it is suggested that Catwoman is the illegitimate daughter of crime boss Carmine Falcone. With Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman being a central figure in The Batman, this familial tie establishes a clear path for Sofia to enter the narrative of The Batman Part II.

Fans hoping to see that thread picked up on the big screen have reason to be optimistic. After a period of quiet development that led to some online speculation, director Matt Reeves recently confirmed that the script for The Batman Part II, co-written with Mattson Tomlin, is officially complete and has been turned in to DC Studios. This news solidified the film’s trajectory, putting it on track for its scheduled October 1, 2027, release date. The sequel will take place after the events of The Penguin, with the series designed to bridge the gap between the two films. While no official casting announcements beyond Pattinson and Farrell’s return have been made, the deliberate connection made between Sofia and Selina in The Penguin‘s finale strongly implies that Cristin Milioti’s powerful take on the Gotham crime lord could play a crucial role in the future of this Batman saga.

What do you think of Cristin Milioti’s new role in Buddy? Let us know in the comments!