There’s a wild and hilarious movie headed your way: Hot Ted! Billy Magnussen (Road House, Lilo & Stitch), Ella Purnell (Fallout, Yellowjackets), and rising star Ariana Greenblatt (Barbie, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t) are set to lead this riotous comedy, which marks the feature directorial debut of SNL alum Hannah Levy.
The exciting announcement comes from Protagonist Pictures’ CEO, Dave Bishop, ahead of the movie’s debut at the upcoming prestigious Cannes Film Market.
A Killer Story
The story of Hot Ted centers around 16-year-old Zoe (Ariana Greenblatt). Zoe is a true-crime podcast fanatic. Her parents decide to send her to Camp Shady Pines for the summer, which is completely against her will. She immediately feels like the odd one out in the Beaver Cabin. However, the summer takes a bizarre turn. Their bunk counselor, Liz, doesn’t show up for breakfast one morning. Zoe’s counselor crush, Amy (Ella Purnell), tells everyone Liz had a “family emergency” and had to leave. However, Zoe doesn’t buy it for a second. She becomes convinced that the hunky counselor Ted (Billy Magnussen) is somehow behind Liz’s sudden disappearance.
In Zoe’s true-crime obsessed mind, Ted has all the classic hallmarks of a serial killer. He’s suspiciously absent from social media. He owns a creepy van. And he’s just a little too nice to absolutely everyone. However, the burning question is: is Ted actually a cold-blooded murderer, or is he just incredibly, undeniably hot? It’s up to Zoe and the other Beavers in her cabin to uncover the truth.
Dave Bishop, CEO of Protagonist Pictures, couldn’t contain his excitement about the movie. “It doesn’t get fresher than this—sharp, hilarious, and a wildly original spin on the genre,” he declared. He believes “‘Hot Ted’ nails that chaotic, cringey moment when childhood fades and adulthood crashes in.” With such a talented cast led by Billy, Ariana, and Ella, Bishop confidently stated, “this one’s got ‘instant classic’ written all over it.”
Director Hannah Levy offered a hilarious and intriguing take on the film. “‘Hot Ted’ is a psychosexual thriller as imagined by virgins. ‘Mean Girls’ meets ‘American Psycho’,” she quipped. Levy added, “This is the movie I’ve been dreaming to make– a reinvention of the camp comedy that speaks to being a teenager right now and always.”
A Talent Bunch
Hannah Levy is a seasoned director from Saturday Night Live’s acclaimed live sketch comedy show. She began her career at the iconic The Onion and the comedy powerhouse Funny or Die, founded by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Levy has also directed episodes of the Emmy Award-winning series “John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in LA” and has writing credits for the hit Comedy Central series “Alternatino” and Netflix’s hilarious “Murderville.” At SNL, she worked on numerous iconic digital shorts, directing hosts such as Billie Eilish, Daniel Craig, and Kim Kardashian in viral sketches.
Billy Magnussen recently starred in HBO’s superhero satire series “The Franchise” from the minds of Sam Mendes and Armando Iannucci. He also appeared in director Doug Liman’s reimagining of the 80s cult classic, Road House. Looking ahead, Magnussen will be seen in Disney’s highly anticipated live-action family adventure, Lilo & Stitch, AMC’s Silicon Valley drama “The Audacity” from Jonathan Glatzer (“Succession,” “Better Call Saul”), and opposite Margot Robbie in Kogonada’s Sony feature, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey.
Ella Purnell currently shines as Lucy McLean in Amazon’s Emmy-winning sci-fi series “Fallout.” Most recently, she executive-produced and starred in Sky Atlantic’s dark comedy series Sweetpea. She also garnered critical acclaim for her role in Paramount+’s 10-time Emmy-nominated drama “Yellowjackets.”
Ariana Greenblatt is a rapidly rising star. She began acting at a young age on the popular Disney Channel sitcom “Stuck in the Middle.” Greenblatt had a breakout year in 2023 with notable roles in Greta Gerwig’s Academy Award-nominated blockbuster Barbie and the sci-fi thriller 65 opposite Adam Driver. Next for Greenblatt is Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, co-starring Jesse Eisenberg, Rosamund Pike, and Morgan Freeman. Her early film credits include A Bad Mom’s Christmas and Avengers: Infinity War.
We’ll Keep You Posted
With such a talented cast and a fresh, hilarious premise, Hot Ted is already generating significant buzz. Look for more updates as it heads to the Cannes Film Market!
