Curry Barker releases five-minute horror short

Curry Barker released 'Mama Bear' on Thursday, a five-minute horror short that marks his return to the YouTube format that first built his career.

The film was written, directed, and edited by Barker and is sponsored by Windows. It premiered on the 'That's a Bad Idea' YouTube channel, a sketch comedy series he co-runs with creative partner Cooper Tomlinson. The story follows a young man named Floyd, played by Jon Lee Richardson, whose rest is disturbed by strange phone calls. The situation escalates when Floyd discovers another version of himself exists. The cast also features Katie Sarife as Lacey, Ericka Kreuz as Ms. Wilson, and Joshua Snyder as the doppelgänger.

Costume designer Blair James noted the rapid production schedule during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "We shot this three and a half weeks ago; it was a really quick turnaround," James said. She emphasized the collaborative trust she shares with Barker, describing the experience as special because he relies heavily on her creative input for styling and costumes. James also works with Barker's father, Jeff Barker, on an upcoming horror short titled 'Medium Rare.'

The short film echoes the visual style of Barker's recent feature, 'Obsession.' It includes a specific shot of a figure lurking in a dark corner, which mirrors a scene in the feature film where character Nikki watches Bear sleep from a similar shadowy position. The narrative concludes on a tragic note, with Lacey shooting and killing Floyd before the existence of his double is fully revealed.

Barker previously established his reputation through YouTube projects such as 'Heavy Eyes,' 'Enigma,' 'Warnings,' 'The Chair,' and 'Milk & Serial.' His 2023 short 'The Chair' caught the attention of producer James Harris of Tea Shop Productions. That connection helped facilitate Barker's move into feature filmmaking. Harris is currently preparing for awards season with 'Obsession,' a film that follows a character using a novelty item to alter a crush's feelings.

'Obsession' released on May 15 and was made on a reported budget of $750,000. It has grossed more than $500 million worldwide and recently earned a nomination for the Gotham Audience Award. Barker is continuing his work pipeline with the release of 'Anything But Ghosts' scheduled for May 7, 2027. He is directing, editing, and co-writing that project alongside Tomlinson. Barker is also attached to write and direct a reimagining of 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.'