The world of Aussie horror hit Talk to Me is set to expand, with a new spin-off series about to enter production. The catch? You can only watch it with a VR headset.
Facebook’s Meta and XRTV have confirmed that a six-episode, live-action series based within the Talk to Me universe is currently in development. The series, which remains untitled, will be released exclusively for Meta headsets.
What is the new Talk To Me series about?
As reported in Variety, the series will follow a group of young travellers seeking a hedonistic escape on a European island. Their pursuit of the ultimate party leads them to encounter the cursed embalmed hand from Talk to Me – which can offer a supernatural high ‘deadlier than any drug’.
Promotional materials compare the tone of the series to HBO’s Euphoria, if it had possession.
While Talk to Me became a breakout film success through conventional theatrical distribution, this new project is designed around full-immersion XR storytelling. All six episodes will be shot in 3D and produced for Meta’s mixed reality headset.
Instead of simply presenting stereoscopic visuals, the series will reportedly map the viewer’s real-world surroundings into the space, creating the impression that the supernatural presence is occupying the viewer’s actual environment. The announcement frames this as a progression from earlier forms of VR and 3D audiovisual experiences.
How will the XR experience work?
According to XRTV co-founder Darren Brandl, the technological aim is to create the sensation that the horror is ‘no longer confined to the screen’. In a statement accompanying the project reveal, Brandl said the XR format allows any user to ‘feel like you’re inside it’.
Brandl added that Talk to Me’s core premise – young people seeking the thrill of controlled possession experiences – lends itself directly to a format in which the boundary between spectator and participant is intentionally blurred.
The new series was conceived from a pitch by Brandl and writer-producer Trent Atherton (The Wheel). Atherton will write the six episodes, with director Craig William Macneill attached to direct the entire series. Macneill’s previous credits include episodes of Them, The Terror, Castle Rock and Westworld.
Executive producers across the project include Brandl and Jack Davis for XRTV, original directors Danny and Michael Philippou, Samantha Jennings and Kristina Ceyton for Causeway Films, and Andreas Michael Wentz and Juan Antonio Cano Trujillo for Sur Film. Jeff Rich will produce on behalf of Meta.
Who’s behind the Talk to Me spin-off series?
The original film was written and directed by Adelaide-based twins Danny and Michael Philippou. Produced by Causeway Films and released by A24 (and by Umbrella in Australia) in 2022, Talk to Me quickly became a feature debut success story. After premiering at Sundance and sparking a bidding competition among international distributors, the film went on to gross more than USD $90 million globally, making it the highest-earning horror title in A24’s slate to date. A feature film sequel is currently in development.
XRTV itself is a new studio venture led by Brandl and Davis, co-founders of Crypt TV. In their press statement, Causeway’s Jennings and Ceyton said that partnering with XRTV and Meta was an opportunity to test ‘how horror storytelling can evolve’ as screen-based media becomes ‘increasingly spatial’. They also described the format as opening ‘new frontiers’ for story design.
This unconventional spin-off could signal a new trend, showing that films can extend beyond traditional sequels into experimentation across new media. It also signals Meta’s ongoing investment in narrative content showcasing the unique qualities of its hardware, following previous mixed reality projects aimed at positioning XR as more than a novelty.
The untitled Talk to Me XR series will be available exclusively on Meta headsets upon release. Further casting and production design details are expected to follow.
No release date for the Talk to Me XR series has been confirmed.
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