A Harry Potter alum is set to star in a new twisted musical horror-romance alongside Jodie Comer. Marking the feature directorial debut of Theo Rhys, the film is expanded from Rhys’ short of the same name, which was both a Midnight Jury and Audience Award winner at SXSW in 2021, and received a BAFTA nomination in 2022.

As reported by ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, Melling and Comer are set to star in Stuffed. The film will tell the story of Araminta (Comer), a moody taxidermist with a secret ambition of stuffing a human specimen. She meets Bernie (Melling), a lonely man with a fear of being forgotten who volunteers for the experiment.

Their strange arrangement will unexpectedly spiral into a haunting, romantic love affair. The film will have original music and lyrics by Joss Holden-Rea, and has enlisted Sarah Bridge as music supervisor. Academy Award-winning John Warhurst (Bohemian Rhapsody) will also be involved as executive music producer. Stuffed is set to begin filming on September 15 in South Wales.

What Stuffed Means For The Horror Genre

Stuffed seems like a daring blend of horror, romance, and musical, pushing genre boundaries in ways audiences rarely see on screen. Horror has often leaned on romantic subplots, but incorporating love and longing into a taxidermy story bucks expectations. By fusing unsettling body horror with music, the film could create an unnerving yet beautiful experience.

Stuffed also shows how original horror concepts are thriving in today’s landscape. While franchises like The Conjuring, Final Destination, and 28 Years Later dominate the box office, recent years have seen a surge in original ideas like Bring Her Back, Talk To Me, and Weapons. This blend of horror, romance, and musical aspects are also present in 2024’s Your Monster.

Stuffed builds on this momentum, showing that audiences are yearning for new stories that don’t rely on established IPs. Its blend of musical spectacle, romance, and horror could help continue the expansion of the genre’s possibilities, proving that originality has a strong place in mainstream horror cinema.

Our Take On Stuffed

Comer brings the same mix of edge and empathy that defined her Emmy-winning Killing Eve role, and this film gives her the chance to apply those qualities to the horror genre. Melling, meanwhile, has undergone one of the most fascinating career transformations in recent years.

Previously known as Dudley Dursley from the Harry Potter franchise, Melling has reinvented himself through roles in The Devil All The Time, The Queen’s Gambit, and The Pale Blue Eye. His ability to play eccentric characters makes him perfect for Bernie, a man willing to sacrifice it all in the name of being remembered.

Stuffed feels like one of those rarer horror projects that truly dares to take risks. Instead of playing it safe with sequels or familiar formulas, the film embraces an unconventional blend of genres. With Comer and Melling leading the story, Stuffed has the potential to be a success.