The fifth and final secret screening at Fantastic Fest 2024 was a surprise world premiere of three episodes of The Creep Tapes. An episodic sequel to the hit found footage films Creep and Creep 2, the show continues to follow the nameless killer along his reign of terror, while also giving audiences a deeper look into this man’s psyche.

Fans of the Creep films are sure to be delighted to see this continuation of the story. Writers Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice return, with Duplass reprising his starring role and Brice directing. With the first episode, fans are eased into the show. The plot is very much like the plot of the previous films. Duplass’s character lures a man to a remote cabin under the pretense of paying him to film an acting reel. Once there, the shenanigans fans know and love ensue, taking the situation from awkward and uncomfortable to disturbing and deadly. It’s certainly a retread of what audiences have already seen of this character, but it’s a great way to reintroduce fans to the killer and his eccentricities before venturing into new territory.

Episode five of The Creep Tapes takes a very interesting turn. Instead of being in a remote house, we see the killer waiting for his next mark in a seedy hotel room. While waiting for this man, the killer films himself for an introspective moment involving the horrifying wolf mask we all know and love, Peach Fuzz. Of the these three episodes, episode five is certainly the strangest. It almost seems to take a weirdly supernatural turn, showing Peach Fuzz as a separate character, rather than an extension or persona of the killer. It calls into question if what is on film is real or just a representation of the broken mind of a dangerous man. The events that unfold are perplexing, but it adds something new and will make viewers excited to see what more they will learn.

Finally, with episode six, The Creep Tapes leans more into the comedy. Duplass spends an evening with an older couple, which leads to some of the most hilarious and uncomfortable social awkwardness to ever be put to film. The episode allows the audience to see a slightly different side of the killer, while also gaining a better understanding of who he is and where he comes from. It features an absolutely fantastic performance from Krisha Fairchild (Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block), who holds her own alongside Duplass and often matches his character’s insanity in unexpected ways. This episode ends with a final shot that dangerously straddles the line between humorous and disturbing, as only Duplass and Brice can pull off.

These three episodes of The Creep Tapes are a great return to form for the franchise that dives deeper into the origins and lore of a truly deranged killer. It’s wonderful to see Duplass and Brice continuing this franchise that they clearly adore. Viewers get a fun combination of the familiar and the unexpected, which is the best way to bring to life a series continuing the story from two beloved films. Duplass is positively disconcerting as the killer, and it’s easy to see just how much fun he has playing this role. At about 30 minutes per episode, with 6 episodes in the first of what will hopefully be many seasons, this new format of storytelling will likely allow Duplass and Brice to take audiences to new and unexpected places. The first two episodes of The Creep Tapes will be available on Shudder and AMC+ starting November 15th.