Rooster Teeth Founders Matt Hullum and Burnie Burns Reunite for Christmas Horror Movie ‘Bad Toys’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Rooster Teeth founders Matt Hullum and Burnie Burns have teamed up for a new Christmas horror-comedy movie, “Bad Toys,” now in development.
Hullum serves as writer-director, while Burns is executive producer. According to an official description, “Bad Toys” is inspired by “medieval Christmas elf folklore” and asks, “What if a mischievous Christmas elf brought you what you wanted when you were nice, but made you regret what you asked for if you were naughty?”
Pre-production is expected to begin in early 2027, and “Bad Toys” is currently slated for a theatrical release around Christmastime of the same year. Flatiron Pictures’ Suzanne Weinert serves as producer.
“Around the holidays, my wife loves to prank us by hiding Christmas elf dolls in unexpected places — including the knife drawer — and has given me quite a few jump scares over the years!” Hullum said. “I began researching ancient elf lore, mostly Scandinavian, and discovered that there is a rich and bizarre history of mischievous and even deadly elves spanning back centuries. ‘Bad Toys’ is my take on turning those spooky old fairy tales into a modern-day holiday adventure … and an excuse to reunite with some of my Rooster Teeth family and our millions of fans from YouTube and around the world.”
Rooster Teeth, launched in 2003, is an online entertainment label that quickly became a staple of early YouTube culture through the success of its flagship web series “Red vs. Blue” and offshoot channels like Achievement Hunter. The company was acquired by Otter Media in 2015, which in turn was acquired by AT&T and then Warner Bros. Burns exited Rooster Teeth in 2019, and the company closed its doors in 2024. In 2025, Burns came out of retirement to buy Rooster Teeth back from Warner Bros. and revived the brand.
“The moment I heard Matt was launching a new project,” Burns added, “I jumped at the opportunity to collaborate again. It’s always an honor to work together, and I can’t wait to help bring his creative vision for ‘Bad Toys’ to the screen.”
Hullum serves as writer-director, while Burns is executive producer. According to an official description, “Bad Toys” is inspired by “medieval Christmas elf folklore” and asks, “What if a mischievous Christmas elf brought you what you wanted when you were nice, but made you regret what you asked for if you were naughty?”
Pre-production is expected to begin in early 2027, and “Bad Toys” is currently slated for a theatrical release around Christmastime of the same year. Flatiron Pictures’ Suzanne Weinert serves as producer.
“Around the holidays, my wife loves to prank us by hiding Christmas elf dolls in unexpected places — including the knife drawer — and has given me quite a few jump scares over the years!” Hullum said. “I began researching ancient elf lore, mostly Scandinavian, and discovered that there is a rich and bizarre history of mischievous and even deadly elves spanning back centuries. ‘Bad Toys’ is my take on turning those spooky old fairy tales into a modern-day holiday adventure … and an excuse to reunite with some of my Rooster Teeth family and our millions of fans from YouTube and around the world.”
Rooster Teeth, launched in 2003, is an online entertainment label that quickly became a staple of early YouTube culture through the success of its flagship web series “Red vs. Blue” and offshoot channels like Achievement Hunter. The company was acquired by Otter Media in 2015, which in turn was acquired by AT&T and then Warner Bros. Burns exited Rooster Teeth in 2019, and the company closed its doors in 2024. In 2025, Burns came out of retirement to buy Rooster Teeth back from Warner Bros. and revived the brand.
“The moment I heard Matt was launching a new project,” Burns added, “I jumped at the opportunity to collaborate again. It’s always an honor to work together, and I can’t wait to help bring his creative vision for ‘Bad Toys’ to the screen.”