Movies by BJ McDonnell

BJ McDonnell is a contemporary horror director who has carved out a distinct niche in the genre with his unapologetically over-the-top, darkly humorous approach. Blending graphic violence with a playful, almost satirical sensibility, McDonnell's films subvert slasher tropes while delivering an adrenaline-fueled good time for genre fans. McDonnell first gained attention with his work on the Hatchet franchise, directing the third installment, Hatchet III, in 2013. Continuing the bloody adventures of the unstoppable Victor Crowley, McDonnell brought a kinetic, energetic style to the series, ramping up the gore and mayhem while still finding room for sly winks to the audience. This ability to balance the visceral and the comedic would become a hallmark of McDonnell's filmmaking. More recently, McDonnell has expanded his repertoire, directing the 2019 Slayer music video film The Repentless Killogy, which transformed the thrash metal icons' live performances into a gritty, stylized narrative. And in 2022, he helmed the delightfully bonkers horror-comedy Studio 666, which casts the Foo Fighters as versions of themselves battling supernatural forces in a haunted recording studio. Through these varied projects, McDonnell has proven himself a distinctive voice in contemporary horror, delivering films that are equal parts shocking and side-splittingly funny.